River Ecosystem and Floristic Characterization of Riparian Zone at the Backcheon River, Sacheon-ci, Korea

Environmental conservation is an interdisciplinary program that covers a variety of ecological systems and their interrelationships, including those with human society, plants, and animals. This study is to investigate the degree of environmental factors and the flora on the Backcheon River at three regions during four seasons. The low water's edge vegetation and flood way vegetation in this river were naturally formed a variety of vegetation communities. Land use in riparian zones at upper area of the Backcheon River was partly bush or grassland as natural floodplain. Whereras, land uses in riparian zones river levee at middle and low areas were arable land, urban, residential mixed. The BOD was within acceptable levels. The application of the Braun-Blanquet approach for plant classification in this area is presented in the article. According to the existing phytosociological data, 28 families, 63 genera, 69 species, 10 varieties, 22 associations, and 15 communities have been identified. Naturalized plants at the upper, middle, and low areas were 6, 14, and 17 species, respectively. Awareness of current conditions and relationships between land uses and resource goals is essential for successful restoration of riparian systems.